This splendid
sarcophagus was made from Egyptian granite in the 3rd century
A.D. It was used for a pagan burial and was sealed on the sides
with iron clamps. It is the original tomb of Hadrian IV, Nicholas
Breakspear, the first English pope in history.

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Hadrian
IV died in Anagni in 1159 and was buried in St Peter's in, what
his contemporaries called "optima concha", or a beautiful
sarcophagus. The tomb was located at the triumphal arch, close to
the sepulcher of Eugenius III. In November 1606, the remains were
identified and the intact sarcophagus was transferred to the grottoes.
It was moved to several different locations and then given its present
position.

Sculpted on
the front is a long festoon with a bucranium in the center and two
rosettes on the sides. On the barrel lid are two heads of Medusa.
On the wall above the sarcophagus is the inscription wth the name
of the pope: HADRIANVS PAPA IIII.

Immured on
the side of the niche is an inscription placed by the Royal Norwegian
Society of Science on the 9th centenary of the conversion of Norway
to Catholicism. It is a sign of recognition of Hadrian IV, who in
1152 went to Norway as a delegate of the pope to resolve political
problems and found the Bishopric of Nidaros (Trondhiem). When he
became pope, he protected the Norwegian pilgrims visiting the Apostolic
tombs.